


If It Means Forever

by lalisa_monobangtan



Category: BLACKPINK (Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe- Twilight Saga, Angst, Blackpink and BTS exist, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Girls Kissing, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, Lesbian, Lesbian Relationship, Lesbian Romance, Lisa is a vampire, Namjoon is a werewolf, Romance, Sad Ending, Vampires, Werewolves, blackpink - Freeform, bts - Freeform, but not as we know them, jenlisa, jennie x lisa
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:53:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24611827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lalisa_monobangtan/pseuds/lalisa_monobangtan
Summary: "What is forever if it isn't with you?"* * *College student Jennie Kim never struggled with her own mortality until she met Lisa Manoban. Lisa Manoban never paid any mind to the affairs of humans until she met Jennie Kim.
Relationships: Jennie Kim/Lalisa Manoban | Lisa
Comments: 7
Kudos: 33





	1. Prologue/ In the Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> Thanks for reading my newest fic! This is a Jenlisa Twilight AU that I'm super excited about. I absolutely love this couple and have some big plans for this fic and more in the future. Be sure to check out some of my other work on my page! <3

_ It wasn’t until I saw the first strand of silver that interrupted the perfect curtain of black that was her long hair, that I was reminded of her mortality. She was mortal. So devastatingly mortal. Here one second and then gone the next, humans are. Lives not nearly long enough to learn of the universe, of truth, of love. It never used to hurt me when mortals died.  _

_ But I knew her death would hurt. Unimaginable pain that I would carry with me, for eternity.  _

_ But to save her? It was worth it to feel that pain.  _

* * *

“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”

-Mark Twain

Or in my case, a  _ woman  _ who lives fully is prepared to die at any time. Perhaps it is why I’ve never been particularly afraid of dying. Though I still feel as though my life is far from full. 

My biggest disappointment was three years ago. In which I, fresh out of highschool, failed my audition at YG Entertainment, a popular record label here in Korea. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise, though- for the year after that, the company was exposed for every crime in the book. Money laundering, abuse of female idols, the CEO- stealing millions from groups under the label and gambling it away at casinos. The thought makes my skin crawl- thinking I could’ve been trapped there, signing away my soul to the devil in the form of a legally binding contract. 

Still, though, it was disappointing to me at the time. An 18 year old idol wannabe is easily crushed by a “no”. And so, I gave up- wasting away my opportunity at the idol lifestyle. It was too late for me now, I knew that. Even at 21, I was considered too old to start a career as an idol.

And thus began my opportunity for a new life- a better one, as an average college student. I had been banking on my audition, at my chance to have a career, that the “no” ruined everything- but luckily, I’d had three years to figure things out, and I was still hopeful for the future. 

“Jennie-unnie,” came a voice that interrupted my thoughts. I realized I’d been staring at the wall, zoning out as I tried to complete my paper on sociology. I had a bad habit of doing that.

“Yes, what?” I asked, turning to face my peach-haired roommate. She had too many different names to count- some people called her Roseanne, some people called her Chae Young, the professors called her Ms. Park. But I always stuck to her nickname since grade school. Rosé. Rosé was the kind of girl that looked cute in everything she did. A cute voice, cute red hair, a cute face. Popular, friendly, with her own mukbang YouTube channel- she could eat as much as she wanted but still stay skinny enough to be an idol.  _ If  _ she hadn’t failed her audition, just like me. She wasn’t as torn up about it as I had been, though, simply shrugging it off and enrolling in college along with me. By some act of the universe, we became roommates. Besides how messy she was, I couldn’t have asked for a better one. 

“Oh, you zoned out again,” Rosé said around a mouthful of noodles. Her eyes didn’t meet mine, they were fixated on her computer in front of her while her hand idly held a pair of chopsticks. 

“ _ Kamsa _ ,” I replied, knowing it wouldn’t be long before I became lost in thought once again. 

“What were you thinking about?” she asked. Her voice was casual, unconcerned. 

“The audition,” I replied honestly, not in the mood to have this conversation but not snippy enough to be rude, either. 

“You’re not disappointed, Unnie,” she asked. “Right?”

I shook my head, not that she could see, because she wasn’t looking at me. 

“I feel...like there are no other options for me,” I admitted. It was true; becoming an idol had been my dream. That opportunity was gone now, I was now only adapting, trying to find some other corner of the world that I could fit into. 

“ _ Yadong _ ,” Rosé answered noncommittally and without hesitation. I looked up at the crass word. “Sexy porn star,” she clarified, with a giggle as she twirled up her chopsticks in more noodles. 

“ _ Jinja _ ?” I asked. I’d entertained the idea once or twice, but ultimately decided that the life wasn’t for me.

“You have the body for it,” Rosé explained, her eyes still fixated on her computer. I blushed and looked away. 

“And waste my education?  _ Ani _ ,” I replied. Rosé smiled, finally looking up to meet my eyes. 

“You’ll figure it out, Unnie,” she said sincerely. 

I could only hope that she was right. 

* * *

Other people always describe their dreams in detail, and they’re always easy to follow and have some deeper meaning or significance to their life. I never understood that. All my dreams are bizarre, unusual- no real plot or narrative that’s easy to follow and easy to interpret. And that’s on the rare occasion that I remember my dreams. Usually they’re forgotten within a few minutes of me waking up. Thus, my night was uneventful. As usual. 

When I did wake up the next morning, though, I was far from in the mood to go to my 10 A.M. biology class. It was a class I shared with Rosé, though, and not something she’d ever let me skip. I contemplated lying and telling her that I was sick, but the strategy had never worked out well for me in the past- for one thing, I hated lying to Rosé. And on top of that, every time I told her I was sick I later became afflicted with some actual minor illness- usually a headache or dull stomach ache. I always chalked it up as karma for lying to one of the sweetest girls in the world. 

And so, when 10 A.M. rolled around, I begrudgingly walked into biology. Arm in arm with Rosé, we slipped into our normal seats at the back of the lecture hall. 

I was glad that I’d decided not to skip class that day. 

Not that it mattered. I was always a firm believer in “destiny is destiny”. If I’d skipped class, I would’ve found  _ her  _ some other way. 

* * *

I was hardly one to pay any attention to who was in what class. When you’re in a university with upwards of fifty people in one lecture hall, it’s not hard to ignore everyone- especially when you’re like me: introverted and uninterested. And so, it was a rare occasion when any one person caught my eye. 

But of course, there are a few things the brain can’t ignore. Food, pain, and attractive people, for instance. And so, despite Rosé and I sitting in the back of the lecture hall, someone all the way in the front was still able to catch my eye. 

His hair was the peach, almost pink color that matched Rosé’s, though unlike hers, I could tell he was in need of a dye job by the dark brown roots that peeked out from underneath. It didn’t distract from his face, though- soft features, but with an angular jaw, and pronounced collar bone that was visible above the neckline of his shirt. Beautiful. His face was the only thing that caught my eye- perhaps if he’d been facing forward, I’d have never noticed him. 

I was so caught up in his looks that his facial expression only registered with me after a few seconds. It was agitated, fearful almost- he scanned the room with terrified eyes, not looking at anyone or anything in particular. 

I watched him for a second until the black-haired man next to him placed a hand on his shoulder in what I could only assume was meant to be a calming gesture. It seemed to work, as the other boy returned his gaze to the front of the lecture hall and I was left staring at the back of his head. 

I nudged Rosé in the arm, nodding at the direction of the boy. 

“Has he always been in this class?” I asked quietly. Rosé looked up from a bowl of banchan- rice and what looked like peppers. 

“Who?” she mumbled around a full mouth. 

“Pink hair,” I replied. She craned her neck to see who I was talking about. After staring at the back of his head for a few seconds, she settled on shrugging her shoulders. 

“I don’t know,” she admitted, mouth still chewing. “But I don’t think so,” 

I only shrugged in response, a silence settling between us once again as we waited for the professor to arrive and start the lecture, and I forgot about it. 

I didn’t think about the pink-haired boy again for a long time. 

* * *


	2. Colors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I learned his name,” she said in a half-hearted attempt at a whisper, all the while leaning in towards me and grinning deeply. I was quiet for a second. 
> 
> “Um...who?” I asked, puzzled. 
> 
> “Mr. Pink Hair, from biology!” she said, a little too loudly. 
> 
> “What is it?” I asked, absentmindedly bringing the end of my pen to my lips. 
> 
> “Jimin Park,” she said, in a genuine whisper this time. 
> 
> “Jimin Park,” I repeated.
> 
> * * *
> 
> Jennie and Rosé attend their first party of the new semester, which just so happens to take place on the night of the lunar eclipse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!
> 
> Quick thank you again for reading my story! The support I've gotten for this as well as some of my other work is unreal. Thanks for tuning in, and enjoy the chapter! Comments always appreciated <3

Like I said, I didn’t think about the pink-haired boy for a long time. 

I didn’t notice how he and his friends were first to leave class, how eager they were to jump out of their seats. I didn’t notice the singular silver earring that dangled from his left ear sometimes and his right ear at others. And I didn’t realize that he didn’t bleed like me.

Not at first, anyway.

* * *

“Hungry?” Rosé asked as she shoved her books, computer, and (now empty) bento box into her bag.

“You just ate,” I commented, unable to hide the half smirk crossing my face. She only shrugged. 

“I’ll get a coffee,” she said. I joined her in putting away my books and shrugged my bag onto my shoulders. Rosé grabbed my hand, eagerly pulling me in the direction of the school’s café. 

“I know where we’re going, you know,” I said as she pulled me along. “I go to this school, too,”

Rosé ignored me. 

“Why did you ask about him?” she asked casually, though a grin began to appear on her lips. 

“What?”

“That  _ guy _ ,” she said, her voice hushed. “Mr. Pink Hair. You know?” 

I suddenly became aware of the weight of my bag pushing down on my shoulders. It was painful.

“Do you think he’s cute?” Rosé asked, before I even had the opportunity to answer her first question. 

“I…” I began. Did I?  _ Cute  _ was one way to put it- but he was more along the lines of  _ ethereally beautiful _ . I didn’t feel attracted to him, though, at least not in the way Rosé was getting at. Not that I’d know the difference- idols usually weren’t permitted to date, a rule I’d practiced as a wannabe (and  _ maybe  _ a convenient excuse as to why I’d never had a boyfriend before). 

“I’ll have to get back to you on that,” I decided finally, as Rosé and I approached the café. It was a nice day, the sun warming my skin, as we decided on a seat out front. 

Rosé rolled her eyes as she placed her bag on the ground next to her seat. I did the same. 

“You can just say it,” she urged, plopping down in her seat. “I thought he was cute, too,” Rosé gushed, producing from her bag a pair of sunglasses which she promptly placed on her head. I only shrugged.

“He’s okay, I guess,” I lied. “ _ Aish _ , I’m here to learn, not to meet boys,” I explained to her for the umpteenth time. 

“Who says you can’t do both?” Rosé smiled, her gaze turning toward the window of the café. Though it was tinted black, I could still make out the outline of chairs, stools, and a few familiar faces of the patrons inside. 

“Now  _ he’s  _ cute,” Rosé smirked, gesturing her head in the direction of the café’s register. I looked over, squinting through the black-tinted window to see who she meant. 

This one, I recognized. 

He was taller, with silver hair and a round face that donned thick black glasses. I watched him chat with someone across the counter of the café, dimples appearing every now and then as he smiled. His muscular figure was outlined by his polo shirt and school-issued apron which both seemed too small for him. I had to give it to him- he looked good. 

Namjoon Kim was the heartthrob of the school- attractive, kind-hearted, dangerously intelligent. Though I could understand why the girls were all head over heels for him, I never saw him as more than a friend. 

“Namjoon?” I asked. “Yeah, everyone knows he’s cute,” I said, rolling my eyes playfully. 

“I’m gonna go get a coffee!” she said gleefully, jumping out of her chair. “You want one?” 

“Sure,” I said. 

* * *

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as Rosé ordered the coffee. I could tell she was giggling, twirling her hair between her fingers as Namjoon smiled. I kind of felt bad for him- he probably dealt with this treatment all day, working at the café. I couldn’t help but chuckle under my breath. 

When Rosé came back, she slammed my coffee cup in front of me, much more aggressive than was necessary. I watched as a few drops splattered on the table, a sigh of defeat leaving my lips as I stared at them.

“Oh. My. God,” Rosé said, in a voice that imitated a bad actress from an American drama we’d been watching together. I didn’t need to ask her to elaborate- I knew she would do that on her own. 

“Namjoon told me about a party coming up this weekend!” she said excitedly. Though I wasn’t one for parties, I couldn’t suppress a half smile that crossed my lips at her excitement. Wrapping my hands around the coffee cup, I brought it to my lips and took a sip before responding. 

“That’s good, but I don’t go to parties. Have fun, though,” I snickered as I brought the cup back to the table. Rosé huffed angrily. 

“ _ Jennie _ -unnie,” she said, with a rough emphasis on the first syllable. “You can’t make me go to the party by myself,” she added with a pout. I sighed. Although I wasn’t one for parties, Rosé sure was- and it was a cold day in Hell that I didn’t get dragged along with her. 

“I fail to see the reason for your obsession with finding me a boyfriend,” I said, sighing and taking another sip from my coffee.

“What?” 

“This party. It’s about finding me a boyfriend, isn’t it?” I asked. I smiled at the shock that crossed Rosé’s face. 

“No!” she said defensively, a playful smile replacing her look of astonishment. 

“Good, because I’m already taken,” I said, my voice matter-of-fact.

“Huh?” she asked, puzzled. “By who?”

“You,” I said with a smile and pointing at her playfully. She blushed and looked away. 

“Nice try. But you’re still going to the party with me.”

* * *

“What’s it for, anyway?” I asked. “The party, I mean,”

Following my last afternoon class, Rosé and I walked arm in arm back to our apartment building. The late summer sun was finally beginning to set, low in the sky that was a golden shade of yellow. 

“It’s just a party, unnie,” Rosé said, swinging her hand and jumping over a curb. The apartment building was quiet this time of the afternoon. “Wait-” Rosé added suddenly. Her arm flew from my grasp and shot out in front of me, stopping me in my tracks.

“What?”

“Namjoon said something else, too,” her arm fell back to its proper place at her side and we continued walking. “There’s an eclipse that night?” she seemed to be asking herself. I nodded.

“I think I remember hearing about that,” somewhere on the internet, maybe. I wasn’t really one to follow astronomy all that closely, but seeing an eclipse might be cool. “So then, I  _ can’t  _ go to the party. I have to see the eclipse,” 

Rosé clicked her tongue as we approached the gate of our apartment building. I watched her pull it open strenuously, wiping the sweat from her head with the back of her arm as she did. I followed her through the gate. 

“You have to come, unnie,” she pouted as we walked into the apartment. There was a sudden blast from the building’s air conditioning that made goosebumps break out over my skin. I shivered as I followed Rosé toward the elevator doors. 

“I’ll go, but you already knew that, didn’t you?” I asked. I studied Rosé’s pink fingernail as she pressed the button for the elevator. “Someone’s gotta take care of you,” I added. Her hand rose from the elevator button to her lips to hide a smile. The elevator door opened with a creak and I followed her inside. 

“Is Namjoon going to be there?” I asked casually as she pressed the button. Once she did, she drew her finger away hesitantly, thinking carefully to herself.

“Well, I guess he didn’t say so outright…” she prefaced. “But, he told me about it, and everyone is going to be there, so he probably will be, right?” Rosé grinned excitedly as I felt the elevator lurch upwards to take us to our floor. 

* * *

_ Foolish are the mortals who believe love doesn’t transcend things like gender, appearance, language.  _

_ Or in my case- dimension.  _

_ The first time I saw her, she didn’t see me. But I was immediately drawn to her gaze, which was fixated elsewhere- specifically, on another member of my “tribe”, as I called them- one who just so happened to be a male.  _

_ I could understand it, though. Perhaps, back when I was a human, I wouldn’t be able to accept myself for feeling affection towards a female. But when you’re 100 years old and can’t die, none of that really matters, does it?  _

_ I’ll always forgive her- not that she needs to be forgiven. It’s not her fault. But I’ll protect her- perhaps out of love. It’s a poor excuse for interfering with fate, but it’s the only one I have to offer.  _

* * *

Namjoon wasn’t at the party.

Nor was the girl he’d been spotted hanging out with a few times, much to the chagrin of Rosé and the other girls. But I didn’t notice that. Not at first. 

“Oh. My. God.” Rosé did her little impression again that morning, as she slammed her bag down on the table in front of me.

“ _ Aish _ , we’re in a library, quiet down,” I scolded as she jumped into the empty seat in front of me. But I knew her better than that- Rosé doesn’t quiet down.

“I learned his name,” she said in a half-hearted attempt at a whisper, all the while leaning in towards me and grinning deeply. I was quiet for a second. 

“Um...who?” I asked, puzzled. 

“Mr. Pink Hair, from biology!” she said, a little too loudly. The dirty look from the librarian made her eyes go wide and her hands shoot up to her lips. “Sorry,” she squeaked. I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t hold back a half smile. I didn’t care too much about the boy’s name, but I pretended to, for her sake. 

“What is it?” I asked, absentmindedly bringing the end of my pen to my lips. 

“Jimin Park,” she said, in a genuine whisper this time. 

“Jimin Park,” I repeated. “How did you find out?”   


“I asked the other boy he was with,” she explained. “The black haired one. And  _ wow-  _ unnie, you should see  _ him _ !” her hands fluttered to her chest as she batted her lashes and sighed dramatically. “He makes even Namjoon look like nothing,”

“ _ Nn _ ,” I said, looking back down at the paper in front of me. “Maybe he’ll be at the party tonight,” 

“Jimin will be,” she said. “I asked. And so I’m guessing the other boy will be too. I didn’t get his name, though…” her voice trailed off. “Daehyun, maybe? Anyway, I have to go now. Meet me at the room before the party so I can do your makeup, okay?” she didn’t wait for my answer before turning around and skipping off. I sighed- she did that on purpose because she knew I’d put up a fight about it. 

I tried to get back to work, but it was hard to focus now. Had Rosé really come to the library just to tell me that? It wasn’t out of character for her, I suppose. Even though I didn’t like parties, I was sort of glad Rosé wanted me to come along. I bubbled with excitement at the thought.

* * *

“This shade is called  _ Jimin’s Hair Pink _ -” Rosé said as her hands approached my lips with a bright pink shade of lipstick. 

“ _ Aish _ ! No lipstick!” I pleaded, pushing her hands away playfully before she could reach my face. 

“Come on, unnie, we’re almost done,” she tutted. “And we’re already late to the party,” she said, casting a quick glance at the Minnie Mouse clock that hung on the other side of the room. 

I groaned.

“Okay.. but only a  _ little _ ,” I commanded, emphasizing the final word. I heard Rosé squeal with delight as I allowed her to trace the inner corners of my lips with the lipstick. It was sticky and matched her fingernails. 

Once she was done, she withdrew her hands and I mashed my lips together. Rosé had picked out my outfit for me- a navy blue strapless dress. Hers was a baby pink that brought out her eyes. 

“Okay, let me get my purse, then let’s go!” Rosé urged as she retreated to her bedroom. I stood up carefully, my knees sore from sitting in one position too long as Rosé was doing my makeup. My feet were clad in white sneakers- I’d refused to wear heels, and encouraged Rosé to do the same- I anticipated there would be alcohol at this party, and the two were never a good combination. I picked up my own purse, which had been sitting on the ground by my side as I waited for Rosé to return. 

“Okay, let’s go!” she said excitedly as she rushed out from her bedroom. I opened the front door and waited for her to follow as we exited the apartment, locking the door behind us. It wasn’t quite dark yet, but the full moon was visible low in the sky- briefly, I wondered when the eclipse was supposed to happen. 

I sure didn’t know where we were headed, but Rosé seemed to as she led me down the streets that were crowded with other university students. The sky quickly shifted from the brilliant orange of the sunset to the dark blue onset of night as the two of us approached a street paved with frat houses. I’d deeply despised the fraternity and sorority lifestyle, but Rosé was the opposite. I wondered sometimes, maybe if it weren’t for me, perhaps she’d have been in a sorority. The thought made my heart squeeze with guilt.

“Which house is it? They all look like they’re having a party,” I asked her to distract myself. Loud music blared from every house on the street as a few boys holding red cups whistled in our direction. Rosé blushed and ignored them. 

“I think it’s the one on the end?” she said, pointing to a house that glowed red and blue from the inside. “Not that it matters, but I promised a few friends I’d see them,” she explained. We approached the house quickly, the deafening sound of American rock music ricocheting off the street. My eyes lingered on a boy sitting in the grass outside, a plastic cup in his hand, only this one blue instead of red. I felt Rosé slip her arm into mine as she pushed past the crowded front porch to make way to the wide open front door. 

We stepped through the door together, and in that moment, I hadn’t known I was stepping into the rest of my life. I’m still not sure if it was good or bad. 

* * *


	3. Her

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jimin is giving Jennie mixed messages, and so is his girlfriend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome (or welcome back) everyone!
> 
> Wow, two uploads in one day? That's my new record, LOL!
> 
> If you're keeping up with me, I just posted the newest chapter of my BTS fic, Bias Wrecked. I just so happened to finish this chapter at around the same time. Once again, I apologize for the upload time- I have a lot going on right now, but hopefully this chapter was worth the wait!!
> 
> Also, although I do my research on Korean language and culture, I'm still very American. And, since this is a Twilight AU fic, I did take some creative liberties. I hope I don't offend anyone, and I'm always open to correction and constructive criticism. 
> 
> Fair warning: alcohol use!
> 
> Enjoy the chapter everyone!

The music was painfully loud. 

I had to shout every time I needed to get Rosé’s attention, which was quite frequently. It was hard not to lose sight of her in the overcrowded frat house, so I resorted to holding onto her arm with the tips of my fingers as she led me astray in the futile search for some friends she’d promised to see. And suddenly, I remembered why I didn’t like parties. 

“Let’s check the kitchen, come on!” was what I  _ thought  _ I heard her shout as I struggled to get a firmer grasp on her arm. She pushed through the crowd shamelessly and I stumbled to keep up with her, praising myself in my mind for choosing sneakers instead of heels. I briefly chuckled at the mental image of myself stumbling through the house in some heels like a newborn deer. If even  _ sneakers  _ were this much trouble, I couldn’t wrap my head around anything else. 

“This is dangerous!” I chided, once we were still and I regained my balance. Rosé ignored me, her lips pressed together in a look of determination as she scanned her surroundings. We were in what I supposed was the kitchen- the flashing red and blue lights were no more, and there were counter tops adorned with maybe hundreds of those red plastic cups. The stench of alcohol suddenly filled my nostrils and the music wasn’t getting any quieter. I tried to ignore the dull ringing in my ears as I planned my escape. Parties were an attack on all my senses. 

“Do you want a drink?” Rosé asked, her usually soft spoken voice a near shout over the music. I merely shrugged in response. I really didn’t, but I wasn’t one to turn down free alcohol. 

“Did you give up on finding your friends?” I spoke into Rosé’s ear as she led me to one of the several counters covered in cups. 

“No. I think we should check outside,” was her reply. I watched her wrestle with a bag of the cups, and after a moment she produced two. She struggled to set them down among the severe lack of space on the kitchen counter tops, but somehow, she eventually succeeded. I watched her uncap a soju bottle and pour a little too much into both of the cups. 

“Always pour your own. Smart,” I said, picking up one of the cups as she picked up the other. She didn’t seem to hear me, instead, gesturing with her head in a way that told me  _ let’s take it outside. _ I didn’t really know where outside was, but I kept my eyes fixated on the back of her baby pink dress as she pushed through the crowd and out another door. 

* * *

“ _ Much _ better,” I breathed an audible sigh of relief as we escaped the smell of alcohol and the cool night time air brushed against my skin. I could still hear the music and feared the sound of American rock would never leave my head, but at least I could hear Rosé speak now. Her face adapted that familiar look of determination as she led me through the (considerably less crowded) backyard of the house. 

I wasn’t looking anywhere in particular, my eyes straying from stranger to stranger as the hand that wasn’t holding Rosé’s idly brought my cup to my lips. I took a sip, forgetting it was soju, and coughed as the bitter substance reached my throat.

“You okay?” Rosé’s voice asked from in front of me. Not bothering to hear my answer, she continued dragging my by the hand through the grassy backyard as I followed absently. I could feel the stares of strangers on us as we pushed past them, making me even more uncomfortable, if that were possible. 

As soon as I’d gotten into a familiar pattern of following closely behind Rosé, she stopped me abruptly. Her arm flew out in front of me, and I nearly crashed into it- luckily, I didn’t spill my drink.

“Mm, you’re going to trip me one of these days,” I mumbled as I rested my head on Rosé’s shoulder. She, rather uncharacteristically, pushed me away, and I looked over to meet her eyes. She wasn’t looking at me, though, rather at a group standing under some Christmas lights strung up in the distance. 

“What? Is that them?” I asked, fiddling with the bottom of my dress. I couldn’t make out their faces over the distance and the darkness. 

“I think so,” Rosé chirped excitedly, restoring her firm grip on my arm as she began to push towards them. 

“Is it Namjoon?” I asked, straining my eyes to see in the low light of the house. 

But a head of pink hair told me that it was not, in fact, Namjoon. 

“Ani. Better.” Rosé made no effort to hide the excitement in her voice as we quickly approached the boy. What was his name again? Jimin?

“Wait, what? Are you going to talk to him?” I asked, feeling my heart pick up speed in my chest as we approached. I wasn’t sure why. 

“No. You are.” Rosé grinned as the space between us and Jimin’s group quickly began to close. I gulped down the rest of the soju I had and discarded the empty cup on a nearby hot tub. 

“Rosé. No,” I said, shaking my head furiously. I tried to stop, but determined Rosé was an unstoppable force. We were getting close to them now, still far enough that it wasn’t weird, but definitely too close for my liking. I glanced over at Jimin, and he was smiling and chatting away with a group of pretty girls and handsome boys. 

To my relief, Rosé finally came to a stop. She turned on her heel to face me with a huff. 

“ _ Jennie-unnie _ ,” she said. I looked at her expectantly. “I won’t make you talk to him if you don’t want to. But this is a party! Whatever happens happens,” she tutted. “I just...want you to have some fun before we graduate,” she said with a slight pout in her voice. I watched her gaze fall to her feet. I heaved a sigh, certain that this was some form of manipulation. 

“Rosé…” I began sympathetically. Rosé. Not always the best methods, but always with the best intentions. “I’ll talk to him, if that’s what’s gonna make you smile,” I added. She looked up from her feet, a cute grin spreading across her face. 

“It will!” she said gleefully. I chuckled. She was right after all- this was a party, you’re meant to meet people. What was the worst that could happen?

Well, as it turns out- a whole lot. 

* * *

“Hey, you’re in biology, right?” I gave the most generic opening line I could think of- and for a moment, mentally scolded myself for it.  _ That’s the best you could do? _ I thought in Rosé’s voice. 

At my question, I watched as Jimin quickly spun around to face me. His face was a bit shocked at first, but softened into a smile when he saw me. He was dressed in a white collared shirt and slacks, a singular silver earring dangling from one of his ears. His clothing was the last thing I noticed, though, because his eyes immediately drew in mine and his little smile was the most inviting thing ever. 

He was fucking beautiful. 

“Ne, and you?” he asked. His voice was high and soft, not the kind of voice I expected from someone whose looks were so intimidating. But I liked it anyway. 

I nodded. “I am,” I said. I tried to imitate the way Rosé smiled and batted her lashes, but I probably didn’t do her justice. Jimin smiled at that- I hoped he wasn’t suppressing a laugh. 

“I’m Jennie Kim,” I said, ditching my poor attempt at flirting and holding out my hand.

“Jimin Park,” he replied, looking down at my outstretched hand. I expected him to shake it, like a normal person. But instead, he took it tenderly and brought it to his lips, pressing them to the back of my hand. They were just about as soft as they looked. 

_ Okay _ , I thought as I felt blush creeping into my cheeks.  _ That was a bit much. _

Jimin smiled his attractive smile once again as I struggled to come up with another conversation topic. I didn’t have to struggle for long, though, as someone from his group approached the two of us just in time. 

“Hey,” I heard her voice before I saw her face. Despite only hearing one word, I felt as though her voice told me everything about her- upbeat, protective, funny. Pretty.

“Oh,” came the voice again, considerably more flat this time. I looked up to see who had spoken. 

I thought Rosé was the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen, but this one was very nearly edging her out. Her face was framed with blonde shoulder length hair (which I couldn’t determine if it was dyed or natural, thanks to the grey beanie that sat atop her head) and her dark eyes gazed into mine from behind a thick pair of black glasses. She smiled when she saw me- a bright, youthful smile that was so beautiful I could barely look at it. My eyes fell to her outfit. An oversized t-shirt sporting the name of some American university and tight ripped jeans that complimented her tiny figure oh so nicely. 

“And what’s your name?” she asked, and I realized I’d been staring at her outfit for a probably inappropriate length of time. 

“I’m Jennie Kim,” I said flatly, holding out my hand once again and hoping she wouldn’t kiss the back of my fingers like Jimin. Thankfully, she shook my hand normally, though I felt her tense up at my grasp. 

“Well, hello, Jennie Kim,” came her sing-song voice. “I’m Lalisa. But you can just call me Lisa,”

“Lisa,” I repeated, though I echoed the name  _ Lalisa  _ in my head a few times. A beautiful name for a beautiful girl. 

Of course Jimin would want someone just as attractive as him, I thought as I watched Lisa’s arm fall protectively over Jimin’s shoulders. He looked down shyly at her touch. 

“So, I suppose you’ve already met Jiminie here,” she said, giving him a teasing grin. I nodded. 

“Yeah, he’s in my biology class,” I commented, my eyes fixated on Jimin’s pink hair. At that, Lisa looked toward me once again, her face visibly falling. 

“I’m in that class, too,” she said flatly. I felt my face go hot with embarrassment...again. 

“Oh,” I said simply, noticing the way Jimin’s eyes wrinkled as he chuckled. Lisa began to laugh, too, but much more conspicuously. 

“I’m kidding,” she said, a hand coming up to cover her smiling lips. “Well, I’m not. But I always sit in the back, so you probably haven’t seen me around,” she explained. 

“Ah,” I said, nodding in confirmation. Maybe she was right. But I thought for sure I’d remember a face that pretty. 

“There’s a lot of us taking that class,” Lisa continued. She seemed to like talking, which was fine with me, because I liked listening. “That over there’s Taehyung,” she said, nodding in the direction of a black haired boy. At the mention of his name, he turned his head to face us, and I was met with the most beautiful face I’d ever seen. My jaw nearly dropped at the sight of his flawless face and twinkling brown eyes before a heart-shaped smile spread across his lips in acknowledgement. I was enamored. 

“-and Jin,” I had forgotten Lisa was still talking and my attention was enraptured by another perfect boy who turned upon hearing his name. This one looked as though he’d just stepped out of the cover of a magazine. I wasn’t attracted to him so much as I was captivated by his near perfect features. He was dressed in some business casual clothes that made him look overdressed, but nowhere near out of place.  _ How are you all so attractive? _ I wanted to ask as Jin gave me a polite smile before returning to his conversation. 

“So I guess I’ll see you in class, yeah?” Lisa asked, bringing my attention back to her with a nod. My eyes lingered on her arm that was still draped over Jimin’s shoulder as I nodded back. I hadn’t been listening to what she said, I realized with a pang of panic. 

“Um, yeah,” I mumbled. I cleared my throat a little in an attempt to be less awkward as I scrambled to find the right words. “It was good to meet you, Jimin,” I said, giving a smile and a polite bow as his sparkling eyes barely glanced from the ground to meet mine. 

“And you too, Lisa,” I said, nodding. She flashed her brilliant smile at me before I turned on my heels, quickly scrambling away in any other direction, desperate to somehow escape the awkward encounter I’d just had. I couldn’t be sure, but I felt like all of their eyes were staring a hole into me as I walked away. I didn’t look back. 

_ It was good to meet you too, Jennie.  _

* * *

Namjoon wasn’t at the party. 

The thought had occurred to me a few times, but it wasn’t something I gave any deeper thought to. Not at first. Not even when Rosé lamented about how she couldn’t find him anywhere.

“Who cares?” I asked, trying to keep my voice light. “Let’s just have fun.”

We found ourselves in what seemed to be the only quiet area of the house: the bathroom. I examined my lipstick in the mirror as Rosé ran a hand through her hair. The action was unnecessary, of course- Rosé’s appearance was always perfect. 

“Besides, the eclipse is happening soon,” I commented, turning away from the mirror and leaning on the counter behind me. “Isn’t that what the party was for?” 

Rosé pressed her lips together and then pulled them apart with a soft  _ pop _ , studying herself carefully in the mirror. 

“I know, but it’s still a party,” she sighed, a mock pout on her face. “How was talking to Jimin? I only caught part of it,” 

It was my turn to sigh now, and I shook my head with a chuckle. 

“He’s nice,” I answered simply, not looking at her. 

“He kissed your hand.” 

“I know, but he has a girlfriend,” I protested. Jimin was nice, but I wasn’t really interested in him in  _ that  _ way anyway. “I figured he was just weird,” I added, to combat her comment on him kissing my hand. Rosé giggled. 

“Shame,” she said. “I wouldn’t mind him doing that to me,” she added with a wink before grabbing onto my hand. “Come on, time to see the eclipse.” 

* * *

It seemed no one had accounted for the weather that night, because the eclipse was obscured from sight by the clouds that had moved in.

“I don’t get it. It was so warm earlier,” I recalled out loud, Rosé and I sitting on the porch and sipping drinks under the cloudy night sky. Rosé gave an exasperated sigh. 

“I know. Maybe the clouds will move before the eclipse is gone,” Rosé commented, trying to sound optimistic, though her voice was still bleak. A few slivers of light were visible from behind the clouds, but it was nowhere near the dark red rim of the moon that we were promised. 

“There will be others,” I said, hoping it was true as I took a sip from my cup. Rosé had made the drink- something sweet but with a bitter aftertaste. 

“Want to go home?” Rosé asked, though she couldn’t mask the disappointment in her voice. I shrugged. 

“We haven’t been here all that long,” I said. “Is that what you want?” 

Rosé shrugged back. 

“I wanted to see Namjoon, but I don’t think he’s showing,” she turned her gaze away from the night sky and toward me, and I faked a smile. 

“I’m sure there’ll be other parties,” I said, unsure of how else to comfort her. She smiled, silently nodding in agreement and standing up from the porch. I stood with her, but apparently too fast as my head spun once I was on my feet. 

“Woah,” I mumbled quietly. Rosé seemed to hear me and I could see her suppressing a giggle.

“That’s the alcohol,” she explained, before her expression quickly shifted to one of concern. “Are you okay to walk?” she asked in a voice edged with worry. 

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I said reassuringly. I placed my hand on her arm to steady myself, abandoning my drink on the porch (albeit accidentally) as Rosé and I slowly pushed through the crowd that was gazing up at the sky. I let her lead the way back to our shared apartment, as she seemed considerably less drunk than I as I tried to still the spinning in my head. The night air was cold, despite it being late summer, and I felt my arms break out into goosebumps. By the time I stumbled through our apartment doors, I’d forgotten most of the walk home (and the night’s events). 

“Drink some water before you go to sleep!” Rosé shouted at me from the other room as I removed my makeup in the bathroom mirror. I made a noise of agreement as I scrubbed my lips free of the pink lipstick, smiling at myself upon completion. I took Rosé’s advice and filled a glass of water from the bathroom sink, slamming it down quickly and spilling some on my pink pajamas in the process. I was eager to lay down, to stop the spinning in my head. 

* * *

Before drifting off, my mind strayed to a psychology lecture from a few weeks back where we’d discussed alcohol and its effects on sleep. How its depressive properties were known to cause changes in the sleep cycle, how it can cause vivid dreams- or worse, nightmares. Briefly, I worried that I would have a nightmare now, and I vowed not to drink alcohol ever again (though I knew that was a promise I couldn’t keep). That was my last conscious thought before I drifted off. 

For once, I didn’t forget my dreams when I woke up. 

I remembered from that same psychology lecture, what we learned about dreams. Even if you don’t always remember them, there are characters, a setting, a plot- just like a story. I guess dreams  _ are  _ stories, in a way. 

He was there- Jimin, that is- in my dream. Along with Lisa, and the other two boys she’d introduced me to, whose names had already eluded me. We were in the biology lecture hall, with Lisa desperate to get my attention. Something told me she wanted me to sit next to her, but I shook my head. I was unwilling to leave Rosé, who was by my side, stuffing her face with something- maybe candy?- until I looked back into Lisa’s eyes. 

_ I have something important to tell you _ , her voice said, though her lips didn’t move. 

_ What is it?  _ I asked. My lips didn’t move either. 

I guess that wasn’t the right response, because a sudden feeling of dread and fear overtook me and shook me awake. I guess I’d never find out what she wanted to tell me. My pajamas were uncomfortably wet with cold sweat when I awoke, and my heart was beating painfully hard against my ribcage from the adrenaline. I tried to still it by taking a few deep breaths, running through the dream in my head. I shuddered, never having had a dream so vivid before. 

I blamed it on the alcohol. 

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again, everyone for your continued support on all of my work! It really means the world to me. I have really big plans for this fic, as well as my other work, so I hope you guys are as excited to read them as I am excited to write them! Any and all support, comments, and criticism are always welcome! <3
> 
> Stay tuned everyone, keep healthy and safe <3


	4. Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I can feel you thinking about me."
> 
> * * * 
> 
> Jimin takes a nasty fall, resulting in scraped palms and a permanent space in Jennie's mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back everyone <3
> 
> Sorry for the wait! I've been super busy recently with summer classes and all my other projects. Regardless, though, thanks for your patience! I really hope you all enjoy this chapter! <3

Dreams are just that- dreams. 

I always forgot mine a few minutes after waking. But this one wouldn’t leave my head. Although I wasn’t  _ really  _ a superstitious person, I couldn’t help but let my mind wander to a place of anticipation and excitement. Maybe it was a kind of premonition- maybe when I saw Lisa in class, she’d have something important to tell me. 

That wasn’t what happened, though. 

No one has ever heard a groan louder than that of a collective group of university students who’d just been assigned a project- better yet, a  _ group  _ project. Our professor, who was on the older side, had to have been used to this by now, as he wasted no time in telling us to quit our complaining. There was only one way that this could get any worse-

“I’ll be assigning your groups for the project,” he instructed. My eyes rolled so far into the back of my head that I feared they’d get stuck there. At least working with Rosé would’ve made the project slightly more bearable, but there was a slim chance of that happening in the crowded lecture hall. At least I’d met Jimin and Lisa, meaning my chances of being paired up with someone I knew were the tiniest percentage higher. They weren’t Rosé, but they’d do. 

At the thought of Lisa, though, my eyes began to scan the room looking for her. I briefly recalled her comment about how she usually sat in the back, so that was where I focused my attention. A few rows down, my eyes caught on the back of a familiar gray beanie. I couldn’t see her face, but I decided it probably had to be her. My gaze wandered to the front of the room, in which Jimin’s pink head of hair I could spot easily. He seemed distressed, yet again, tapping his pen on the edge of his desk. Distraught. I wondered what his problem was. Group projects were bad, but not  _ that  _ bad. 

“Jennie Kim.” My professor's voice pulled me from my thoughts. I looked up at the sound of my name, blush beginning to creep into my cheeks with all the class’s eyes on me. I watched as my professor squinted down through his glasses at a sheet of paper he held closely to his face. 

“...and Jisoo Kim,” he said finally.  _ Jisoo Kim? _ I thought I’d heard the name before, but couldn’t quite remember where. I looked over the hall, desperate to catch the eyes of whoever my partner was before I forgot her name, too. Luckily, I did- a pair of dark brown eyes sitting up front that turned up into a smile when they met mine. 

_ Jisoo Kim _ , I echoed her name in my head in a desperate attempt not to forget it.  _ Where have I heard your name before? _

“Hey,” Rosé whispered from my right. I leaned in her direction so I could hear her speak. “You got Jisoo?” she asked. I was about to answer when the professor’s voice filled the room once again, cutting me off. 

“Chaeyoung Park,” the professor began. Alarmed, Rosé’s head swiveled in his direction, cheeks protruding with a spoonful of noodles. 

“-and Taehyung Kim.” 

I recognized  _ that  _ name, too. Out of habit, my eyes turned to Jimin in the front corner of the room. His black-haired friend was still faithfully sitting next to him, and I noticed his arm draped protectively over Jimin’s shoulders. 

“ _ That’s _ his name,” I mumbled to myself. “I remember now,” I said. Rosé’s face lit up with glee as Taehyung turned to make eye contact with her. 

“Maybe this project won’t be so bad after all,” she mumbled around another mouthful of noodles. 

The professor continued to read off pairs for the project, much too slowly. I leaned towards Rosé, whispering quietly. 

“How do you know Jisoo?” I asked, my eyes fixated on a dark brown head of hair a few rows away. Rosé swallowed thickly before answering. 

“Namjoon’s girlfriend,” she said. “Or, prospective girlfriend, anyway,”

“Oh,” I said simply. So  _ that’s  _ where I’d heard of her. 

“Do you think she’ll be good to work with?” I asked. Rosé took another bite of noodles before answering me. 

“I’m not sure, Unnie,” she said. “She can’t be  _ that  _ bad,” 

* * *

_ I can feel you thinking about me.  _

* * *

The professor talked of the project requirements, of the circulatory system, how the “blue” blood in our veins isn’t really blue, just a deep shade of red- things I heard but didn’t listen to, didn’t pay attention to. My eyes were so fixated on a point on the wall behind my professor’s head that I hardly noticed the motion out of the corner of my eyes, or Rosé’s repetitive taps to my arm.

“Where’s he going?” her quiet whisper was what finally captured my attention, my eyes straying on their own to a spot near the wall of the room. The “he” in question was Jimin, leaving the lecture hall at a brisk walk that neared a run as his hand pressed up against his mouth. Taehyung was hot on his heels, murmuring to him urgently as the pair approached the door in the back. It opened and closed with a loud  _ thud,  _ the boys clearly unaware or unconcerned about the attention they had garnered. Lisa seemed to have noticed it too, her grey-beanie clad head now fixated in the direction of the door. She gave a shrug before returning her attention up front, probably deciding that Taehyung could handle Jimin. 

My eyes returned to the front of the room as well, where the professor had stopped on an unfortunate cross-section of the human heart that was a bit too realistic. 

“Maybe he’s squeamish,” I suggested to Rosé, who had neglected to finish her noodles now. The professor, unfazed by the boys’ sudden absence, nodded knowingly. 

“There’s always one,” he said to himself in an amused mumble. 

* * *

“Lunch?” Rosé asked over her bag, in which she stuffed her books and remnants of noodles. 

“I better talk to Jisoo about the project. Meet me later?” I asked, placing my own books in my bag carefully. A smile slowly began to creep across her lips, and I knew her well enough now to know she was thinking about Taehyung. 

“Good idea,” she answered, slinging her bag over her shoulder. “I’ll see you later, Unnie,” she smiled before turning on her heel and heading towards the direction of the door out which Jimin and Taehyung had left. I looked back towards the front of the room, trying to catch the eyes of Jisoo. I wasn’t successful. 

“Jisoo!” I said, waving as I approached her. My face began to flush with red as I waved her down, suddenly embarrassed about my desperation. She tilted her own face up from her bag, where she was busy tucking away her books and laptop. Her lips turned up into a smile when her eyes met mine, and I smiled back. 

“Pretty,” I mumbled under my breath, almost subconsciously. I suddenly hoped she didn’t hear. 

“What?” she asked, grinning. 

“Nothing,” I said, changing the subject. “How are you? I’m Jennie,” I introduced myself with a bow, trying to dull the brightness of the red that colored my cheeks. 

Jisoo continued smiling at me, bowing back subtly as she picked up her bag. 

“Nice to meet you,” she said. Her voice was sweet, just like her face- of course Namjoon would want someone just as gorgeous as himself. 

“Do you want to meet up some time?” I asked. “To talk about the project, I mean.” I added for clarification. Jisoo giggled. 

“How about tonight?” She asked. I blinked. I sure wasn’t expecting that, but I didn’t have any plans anyway, so I agreed. 

“Um, sure,” I stuttered. “Want to meet at the library?” 

Jisoo nodded brightly. My eyes fell to her clothes. A white woven top adorned with pink flowers. 

She even smelled like flowers, too. 

“Give me your hand,” Jisoo commanded. 

“What?” 

“Your hand,” she said, gesturing toward me. I shrugged and complied, holding out my left hand in her direction. She took it into her own hands, which were soft and painted with beige fingernails. Out of nowhere, (or maybe I didn’t notice, because I was too busy looking at her hands), she produced a black pen and began to write something. 

“Oh,” I said, dumbfounded, as I watched her write. She finally pulled away so I could see what she wrote. 

“Oh, it’s your phone number,” I said flatly. I mentally cursed myself for behaving so awkwardly. 

“ _ Nn _ . Call me if you have problems,” she said with another polite smile. “I’ll see you later!” She chirped, matter-of-factly before turning on her heels and walking towards the back of the lecture hall. 

I only stood where I was, dumbfounded for a moment, pondering how every girl here could be so beautiful. 

* * *

I’d finally pulled myself together and left the lecture hall. I still had a few more hours and another class to make it to before it was time to meet with Jisoo, so I strolled absentmindedly to the northern building where my Sociology class was held. 

I’d walked to that building many times before, and I was accustomed to it now, my mind running on autopilot as I strolled down the street. It was packed with other students- some in a hurry to make it to class, some on their way home, some holding hands as they enjoyed the weather. 

The weather- that wasn’t something I’d paid much attention to. It  _ was  _ nice, after all, maybe a bit on the hotter side, but the sun warmed my skin nicely as I walked. 

I studied the back of my hand during my stroll, Jisoo’s cute handwriting staining my skin with black. I began to try memorizing her number, just to see if I could do it, when a familiar head of pink hair drew in my gaze. 

Jimin was walking a few paces in front of me. He was alone now, Taehyung no longer with him, as he walked clutching his books to his chest. He looked like he was in a hurry, so I didn’t want to bother him, instead going back to black ink on my hand. That didn’t last for long, though, because my gaze returned to him when I heard something hit the ground with an unpleasant  _ thud _ . 

“Jimin?” I asked aloud, jogging over to catch up with him as I watched the books he’d been holding skidding away on the sidewalk. It looked like he’d tripped- taken a nasty fall on an uneven piece of concrete. 

“Hi, Jennie,” he managed to stutter as I overtook him and began gathering up his loose books. I was surprised he’d remembered my name. It didn’t take him long to pull himself back to his feet as I returned his books to their organized stack. 

“Are you alright?” I asked. It looked like he’d taken a rough fall, as his eyes fell to the palms of his hands. He winced painfully when he saw them- they must have gotten scraped. 

“Um, yeah, I’m- I’m alright,” he mumbled. He wiped his hands on his jeans as I held his books out in his direction. Shyly, he reached out to take them. 

Out of the corner of my eye, on his outstretched hands, I noticed that the palms were stained with a deep shade of blue. 

“Thanks,” he said, clearing his throat. I nodded. 

“I, uh, better get to class,” I mumbled. “I’ll see you around?” 

Jimin forced himself to smile as he clutched his books tightly to his chest once again. He nodded appreciatively before pushing past me, and didn’t look back as he quickly sped off down the sidewalk. 

And for the rest of the day, I wondered why Jimin’s blood was blue. 

  
* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like, since this is a Blackpink story, I have to mention the recent comeback that came out. "How You Like That"- well, how did you like it? LOL! I love the song and the choreography. I'm so in love with these girls, haha. 
> 
> Thanks again everyone for reading! Apologies that this chapter was a bit on the shorter side, but the next one should be out soon! I truly want to thank everyone for your support, and I hope you continue this adventure with me! <3


	5. Cinnamon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I won’t let them kill you, Jennie."  
> * * *  
> Jimin's blood won't leave Jennie's mind. Jennie won't leave Lisa's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back everyone!
> 
> Sorry for the wait on this chapter, I've been busy lately, but I'll try to be better about uploading. Thanks for your patience! I hope you enjoy this one! <3

Sociology was, as it often is, uneventful. 

The professor droned on about social deviance and criminology and the like, and no matter how hard I listened, I simply couldn’t hear her. I wondered if it was due to my sitting in the back of the lecture hall, or the thoughts in my mind that were much too loud. 

I wondered about a lot of things, all the while my eyes were fixed on the curly handwriting stained on the back of my skin. I wondered about Lisa. About where she was right now, what she was up to. Maybe, like me, she was sitting in class, staring at the back of her hand, too. 

I don’t know why I cared. 

I wondered about Jimin’s skin, the palms of his hands, the way they were stained with dark blue. It looked like blood, the consistency was there and he’d scraped his hands and the placement was all right- only the color was off. I tried to convince myself that it was a misunderstanding. Some leftover paint from an art project, or maybe some trick of the light had changed my perception of what I saw. 

It didn’t work. I knew what I saw. And I could never convince myself of these types of things. And I couldn’t forget about the image of Jimin’s palms for the rest of class. 

* * *

_ I worried for Jennie.  _

_ Jimin sat on the floor of our room, a whispered string of remorseful words and apologies leaving his lips. It didn’t matter anymore. The damage had been done. Taehyung’s own hands held Jimin’s, but his grip was strong and refined from many more years of grace and caution.  _

_ “Who saw you?” Taehyung asked, his voice level and flat. It would have been angry. But Taehyung was above anger, knowing that nothing good ever came of it.  _

_ “Just her,” Jimin whimpered, as Taehyung’s careful hands wrapped white gauze around Jimin’s ruined palms. “Just Jennie.” _

_ I knew it wasn’t my place to be listening in on them.  _

_ But she was more than “Just Jennie.” _

_ And now, Taehyung was probably going to kill her, for seeing something she wasn’t meant to see.  _

_ And she was probably in class, mulling over in her head again and again what she had seen. Wondering why Jimin’s blood was blue- thinking she must be crazy or have misunderstood.  _

_ But, unbeknownst to her, she was right.  _

_ And I won’t let them kill you, Jennie.  _

* * *

I felt the growl of my stomach beneath my fingers as I left the Sociology building. I thought back to this morning, where I’d had nothing but some burnt coffee and Rosé’s leftovers from breakfast. The sun hung low in the sky, now, though, and I decided that was a problem for later. 

It was considerably cooler in the late afternoon, and I wanted nothing more than to unwind back at the apartment. But I had a prior engagement now, I remembered as I slowly made my way to the University library. 

The streets were a bit less crowded this late in the afternoon, where the sun threatened to dip below the horizon. A few students still lingered out, laughing outside of bars and restaurants as I passed. I envied them, wishing I could have fun too.  _ Maybe next time _ , I thought as a gentle wind ruffled my hair. 

The library was a far walk from the Sociology building, but I made it. By the time I got there, the sky had turned a shade of dark blue and goosebumps began to break out on my skin. I shivered and let myself in, wondering if Jisoo was here already. 

To my surprise, I scanned the room and found her almost immediately. There weren’t too many others here anyway, but Jisoo was hard to miss. She was still wearing her white-flowered top, and her hair was pulled into a loose ponytail now. Her eyes peered down through a pair of glasses that I hadn’t noticed before, at an array of books and papers that littered the table where she sat. 

I approached her slowly, trying not to disturb the few other people who sat focused at their computers. 

“Hey, Jisoo,” I said when she was close enough to hear. She looked up at me, smiling brightly at first. But as quickly as she’d smiled, her face visibly fell. She tried to hide it, forcing a smile once again, but I noticed. I wondered what was wrong. 

“Hi Jennie,” she said after clearing her throat. “Are you ready to talk about the project?” 

I nodded, taking a seat in the chair next to her. She stiffened uncomfortably at my presence, and my face grew red as I wondered what I’d done to offend her. She certainly hadn’t acted this way earlier, in the lecture hall. 

There was a brief, terrifying moment where I wondered if I smelled bad. I leaned in to catch a whiff of my hair- strawberry and banana shampoo. Maybe she didn’t like bananas?

“So I was thinking…” Jisoo began. She was leaning as far away from me as she could as a painted fingernail came up to point to something on the papers strewn in front of her. “That we could split the work up, like this,” 

“Okay,” I agreed, without really seeing what she’d been pointing to. My eyes were focused elsewhere, on a dusty bookshelf in the distance. Suddenly, my empty stomach which I’d been ignoring made itself known with an embarrassing growl. I felt my face turn red as a smile creeped across Jisoo’s lips. It was at my expense, but it was a nice break from her serious and intimidating demeanor. 

“Hungry?” she asked quietly. I nodded.

“Yeah,” I said. I watched as she licked her lips, her eyes not meeting mine. 

“Me too,” she said. 

Her response was normal enough, but something at the back of my mind felt threatened. I wanted to leave, wanted this to be over with- but at the same time, I nearly laughed at myself. Why was I intimidated by this tiny, sweet girl? 

“I’ll give you this paper, so you can remember which parts are yours.” Jisoo said. I returned my gaze to her face, her dark eyes peering at me from behind her thick glasses. She shyly handed me the paper, and in an unfortunate instance where our hands brushed, she quickly flinched and pulled away. Like I’d burned her. 

I watched the blush creep into her cheeks as she cleared her throat and tucked a strand of her hair back into its place behind her ear. Her eyes scanned the rest of the library, lingering on the few students remaining who were preoccupied with packing their things. 

“I think I showed a little too late,” I admitted to her. “It looks like they’re closing up soon,” 

“Do you want to talk again next week?” she asked. Her voice was sweet, but her face was unmistakably red. “To catch up, after we get started,” she clarified. My eyes strayed to the windows of the library- it was surely dark now, the sky a deep blue that neared black thanks to the dim light of the library’s fixtures.

“Sure,” I said absentmindedly, returning my gaze to the table where her hands were busy with gathering up her papers. I cleared my throat as I watched her, feeling guilt suddenly creep over me. I brushed it off. 

Our chairs squeaked out from underneath us as we both stood, making our way in awkward silence to the library’s doorway. It was nearly empty now- a few last minute stragglers pushing past us to reach the door. When it opened, a blast of cool nighttime air brushed through my hair and pushed it over my shoulders. Out the corner of my eye, I saw Jisoo shudder from the cold. 

That’s what I  _ thought  _ it was from, anyway. 

“Thanks for meeting with me,” I said awkwardly, turning to face her. The outside of the library was lonely- only me and her stood there, aside from a few other students scattered about in the distance. 

Jisoo’s cheeks were still red when I turned to face her. Her eyes were fixated on a point below my own- perhaps on my shirt, or maybe my hands that were holding a few books to my chest. 

“Jennie…” Jisoo began quietly, still not meeting my gaze. Her voice was soft and gentle. I shivered, and I wasn’t sure if it was from the cold. Jisoo was just about the least threatening person in the world…

...So why did I suddenly feel nervous? 

“Do you...want me to walk home with you?” Jisoo’s soft voice came again. 

“N-no, that’s okay, I’ll be alright,” I insisted. Her eyes darted from my hands to a spot above my shoulder, and when next she spoke, her voice was edged with urgency. 

“Are you sure?” she asked, a frantic look in her eyes. She leaned in toward me, speaking quietly as a gentle hand came up to my shoulders. “Because there’s a strange man behind you,” she finished. 

I whipped around in the other direction to see who she meant. I probably shouldn’t have done that- but I went against my better judgement, pushing my uneasy feelings to the side, to confirm what she’d said. Her hand was still placed on my shoulder protectively as I was met with a strange man indeed- a hooded figure with a black mask covering half of their face, and approaching me briskly. 

But when the figure spoke, it was most definitely not a man’s voice. 

“Not a man, don’t worry!” chirped a familiar voice. The figure picked up her pace, pulling down her hood and her mask to reveal a familiar, youthful smile. 

_ Lisa _ . 

I felt relief flood through my body at the sight of her. But Jisoo’s grasp was still tight against my shoulder as Lisa slowed her speed and joined us. 

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you,” she exhaled, her eyes twinkling behind her glasses. “She’s with me,” Lisa added, speaking to Jisoo rather than me as her hand placed itself on my other shoulder- the one where Jisoo’s hand wasn’t. 

Jisoo withdrew her hand and her arm fell to its place by her side as she stared at Lisa. Lisa stared back. I stared at both of them. 

It felt like an eternity of staring before Jisoo cleared her throat. 

“Ah, okay. Be safe, you two,” she said. She forced a smile and gave a gentle bow before turning on her heels, walking off in the direction of the school’s café. I watched her small figure walk away as she slowly began to disappear into the distance. 

Lisa looked at me a moment before I spoke. My eyes fell to her clothing- an oversized black hoodie, which was probably what made Jisoo mistake her for a man, and tight black jeans. Her grey hat was nowhere to be seen today. 

“I’m with you now?” I asked, returning my eyes to her face. She smiled once again. 

“Yeah, about that..” she grinned, her hand raising up to ruffle her hair awkwardly. “I spotted you coming out of the library and wondered if you needed a ride. Jimin told me you were alone earlier,” she explained. “I figured I could keep you safe from… _ danger _ ,” she giggled as her voice darkened over the last word. 

I couldn’t help but smile. 

“It’s not a far walk from my apartment, really,” I replied. I began to turn around and walk the way I came- the vision of Jimin’s scraped palms from earlier that day were now fresh in my mind with Lisa’s mention of his name. 

“Hey!” Lisa said, grabbing me by the shoulder and stopping me in my tracks. I tried to shrug her off, but my hands were preoccupied with holding my books. 

“It’s no big deal, really,” I insisted. She scoffed. 

“You’re not getting out of this!” she said teasingly. I let myself be flipped around by her small hands, facing the parking lot. I wondered which car was hers. 

She led me by the hand in the direction of a particular car, a shiny, compact little thing that looked almost black in the low light of the parking lot. 

“I’m really not supposed to accept rides from strangers,” I said, pressing my lips together as we approached. 

“Hey, I’m not a stranger!” Lisa insisted, digging through her jacket pockets and producing a car key. She clicked a button on the key and the car lit up in response. 

“I’ll get the door for you,” she said, nearing a jog as she approached me to slip a tiny hand into the passenger side door handle. She pulled open the door, and the smell of expensive leather greeted me as I smiled and pulled myself into the front seat. 

As the door fell shut at my side, I watched as Lisa made her way around the front of her car. I cleared my throat as I heard the driver’s side door open, as Lisa carefully pulled herself into the seat next to me. 

“So...you’re not going to kill me or anything, right?” I asked casually, facing away from Lisa and gazing out my own window. 

“If I was going to kill you, I’d have done it by now, Unnie,” Lisa joked. Alone with her, I noticed a pleasant cinnamon scent that drifted from her body and to my nose. I turned back to face her before she spoke again. 

“Bit hot in here,” she commented. I watched as she struggled to remove her oversize hoodie in the tiny space that was the driver’s seat. She did it, though, revealing a petite figure hidden by no more than a black strapped top. It was cropped  _ much  _ too high above her waist, and I could see all the smooth skin of her flat stomach. I tried not to stare, but I could feel the envy creeping into my mind at the sight of her beautiful face and equally beautiful body. 

I had to look away. 

“So, where’s your apartment?” she asked as she discarded her hoodie into the back seat. The engine of the car roared to life as she turned the key, scanning the parking lot before pulling out cautiously. 

I had to clear my throat again. 

“It’s, umm… the one next to the north quad,” I stuttered. Lisa’s face lit up. 

“Ah, so you’re not far from us,” she beamed as she exited the parking lot. I watched the stop lights shimmering against the night sky shift from red to green as she drove. 

“Us?” I questioned. Lisa rolled down the windows of the car on her own, regrettably airing out the nice smell of cinnamon. 

“Me and my friends, I mean,” she answered. “We share an apartment together in the next building over,”

“Who?” I asked curiously, looking away as the cool wind ruffled my hair. 

“Jimin, Taehyung, and the like,” she answered. The car slowed to a stop as another light turned red. “Jin doesn’t live there, but he might as well,” she added with a small smile. 

“ _ Aish _ , an apartment with a bunch of boys, huh?” I said. It came out far more rude than I intended, so I added, “Must be nice to room with your boyfriend,” 

I watched Lisa’s eyes widen at the accusation, a look of shock on her own face bringing a smile to mine. 

“ _ Boyfriend _ ? What boyfriend?” she nearly spat the words as the car revved up. I blushed. 

“Jimin’s not your boyfriend?” I asked. I felt the force of the car push me back as Lisa took a turn way too carelessly. I could see my apartment building now, approaching us over the horizon. 

“No.  _ No _ ,” Lisa said firmly. “We tried once, but...we’re much better as friends.” 

I felt my heart pang with jealousy. I wasn’t sure who I was jealous of. 

“He’s sweet, but…” Lisa trailed off. I watched as she chewed her tongue. “If I wanted sweet, I’d get a puppy,” she giggled. 

“Oh,” I said simply. We sat in silence for a second. It was awkward, no noise except the blowing of the wind and the occasional chatter of pedestrians. 

“You’ve been asking me a lot of questions, Unnie,” Lisa said. “So, I have one for you,” 

I felt my heart beat uncomfortably hard as I stared at her. Her eyes twinkled. 

“So, Jisoo,” she asked. “Was she rude to you?”

I was taken aback by the question. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn’t that. 

“Jisoo? No, she’s a sweetheart,” I said. I left out the part about her strange behavior, though. “Why?” 

Lisa shifted uncomfortably in her seat as we approached my apartment. 

“I’m not supposed to tell you this, but…” she began, chewing her lip. “I’d stay away from Jisoo. She’s not what she seems.”

I looked away, puzzled, as the car slowed to a stop in front of my apartment building. I wanted to ask questions, but I wasn’t sure where to begin. 

“And maybe Namjoon, too,” Lisa said, pressing her lips together. “But...I can’t tell you what to do, of course. It’s just a suggestion.” 

I had far more questions now, but I focused on trying to still the trembling of my hands. 

“Why?” I stuttered. “And Jisoo, I  _ can’t _ . We have a project together. That’s why I was with her,” I explained. 

I watched as Lisa licked her lips. The action made my heart skip a beat. 

“Okay.” her expression was pained, but then, it quickly shifted back to her usual smile. “We’re here,” 

“Y-yeah,” I stuttered. I was clearly taken aback by her quick shift in mannerisms, but I cleared my throat once more and tried again. “Yeah, thanks for the ride,” I said, forcing a smile. 

Lisa didn’t have to force a smile as she gazed back at me. 

“Anytime,” she said sweetly, clicking the lock on the door. “I’ll see you later?”

“Of course,” I said, cracking open the door and stepping into the cool, outside air.    
“ _ Annyeong _ ,” I added as I turned on my heel in the direction of my building. 

“ _ Annyeong _ ,” Lisa chirped out her open window. I felt her eyes on me from her car, and hurried to the gate of my building to escape her gaze. 

As I let myself into the building, a strange mixture of emotions overtook me. Mostly curiosity- why did I have to stay away from Namjoon, and Jisoo? Both of whom were the biggest sweethearts at school, what could they be hiding beneath their kind exterior? 

Still deep in thought, I pressed the button on the elevator to get to my floor. It lit up beneath my fingertip and I pulled away, waiting patiently. Lisa’s words rang through my mind.  _ I can’t tell you what to do _ , she’d said. And she was right.

But as I stepped into the elevator, I found myself wishing she could, wishing she  _ would _ , wishing I could sit at her feet and gaze at her in her black cropped shirt and cater to her every whim. Jisoo’s floral smell had already escaped me, but the scent of Lisa’s cinnamon skin stuck in my nose and lingered at the back of my mind all night. I longed to smell it again, to bury my nose into the soft skin of her neck. 

I wondered what the Hell was wrong with me. 

* * *


	6. Colors, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An altercation leaves Jennie with blood on her hands. Literally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Hitting, swearing, vampire blood
> 
> Hey all~
> 
> Welcome back!! First of all... so sorry about the wait. I feel like it's been forever since I update this fic. Recently, I've been going through some changes (new job, new university, etc.) and it's kind of stressed me out of writing. But I'm back, hopefully I'll get things under control and be able to post more regularly. On top of that, this is one of my longest chapters yet, it was about 10 pages and super dense. It was honestly really a challenge to write and could've gone on longer if I didn't end up cutting it off where I did. Regardless, I really hope it was worth the wait~
> 
> Thanks so much for reading, enjoy the chapter!! <3

Jisoo wasn’t in class the next day. 

Or the day after that.

Or the rest of the week. 

My calls to her were sent to voicemail, my texts left unanswered. I began to worry, and about more than just the project. 

I had half a mind to ask Namjoon if she was alright- but strangely enough, I didn’t run into  _ him _ , either. I sighed, chewing the inside of my cheek, staring down at my computer screen and contemplating emailing my professor, just to see if he knew anything. 

I gave into my curiosity, opening up a new email and quickly inputting my professor’s name. 

_ Hi professor,  _

_ It’s Jennie, from Biology. My lab partner, Jisoo Kim, hasn’t been in class for the week, and she hasn’t answered any of my calls, either. Do you happen to know if she’s alright, and what I should do about the project? Thanks in advance! _

_ Jennie _

I stared at the words for a long time before deciding the request was sufficient. I pressed the  _ send  _ button, and it clicked underneath my nail as I sighed. 

“Something wrong?” Rosé shouted from the kitchen. I sulked, pulling my cheek between my teeth. 

“Nothing,” I shouted back. “My lab partner’s just been M.I.A the whole week,” I added. Rosé came out of the kitchen carrying two steaming bowls of rice, and I wondered how she wasn’t burning her fingers. She set one of the bowls in front of me next to my laptop, and smoothed the baby pink apron she was wearing with her free hand. 

“Jisoo?” she asked, setting down her own bowl. “Let me get you some chopsticks.”

“I’ve tried calling her, no answer,” I said as Rosé returned to the kitchen. “I just emailed the professor to see if he knows anything.”

With that, I heard the familiar  _ ding  _ from the speakers of my laptop that indicated a new message. 

“Oh,” I said. “That was fast.” 

Rosé returned from the kitchen with two pairs of chopsticks in her hand as I opened up the message.

“Strange,” Rosé said, handing me a pair. “I haven’t seen Namjoon working at the café, either,” she explained. 

“Hm.” I took the chopsticks and set them down, carefully reading the email I’d just been sent. 

_ Hi Jennie, _

_ Thanks for reaching out. Unfortunately, I don’t know the situation surrounding Jisoo’s absence, but she did let me know that she would be out of class indefinitely.  _

_ As for the project- don’t worry! You already have a grade for it. Thanks for reaching out.  _

My eyes scanned over the words, once, and then twice, and then they just stared at the screen for a long time. 

The message was worded normally enough, but for some reason, I felt doubt and suspicion creeping into my blood. It occurred to me that Jisoo and I were far from turning in our project, for one thing. Why would we  _ already  _ have a grade for it?

And wasn’t it  _ funny  _ how familiar the names Namjoon and Jisoo fit together in my mind? 

“Something wrong?” Rosé asked around a mouthful of rice. My eyes darted from her face back to the screen.

“What was that you said before?” I asked. “About Namjoon,”

Rosé chewed and swallowed thickly before repeating herself. 

“I haven’t seen him in a while,” she said. “He usually works mornings in the café, but…” her voice tapered off for a second. “He hasn’t been.” 

A sudden feeling of dread crept into my stomach. A feeling that I tried to control, tried to push away. But I couldn’t shake it off, and I didn’t know why. 

“You okay, unnie?” asked Rosé, eyeing me suspiciously. I nodded. 

“Yeah,” I said. It was a lie. 

* * *

I didn’t stop hearing the names  _ Jisoo  _ and  _ Namjoon  _ in my mind for the rest of the day. 

They weren’t said in my voice, either- it was Lisa’s, distinctively hers, in the exact same timbre with which she’d said them to me a week before. Wasn’t it just a bit odd that the two people whom she’d warned me about were now suddenly... _ gone _ ? 

I almost laughed at myself, chuckling quietly as I made my way to class. It wasn’t like she’d killed them or anything. At least, I hoped she hadn’t.  _ No _ , I looked up as I dismissed the thought finally. She was about as tiny as Jisoo, and there was no way she was taking down Namjoon on her own. 

A hot wind blew across my face and scattered my hair over my shoulders. Plus, she had no reason to kill the pair- none that  _ I _ knew of, anyway. Surprisingly, the fact that murder was a crime was the last thing on my list. 

I giggled to myself as I quickly drew open the door to the classroom building and rushed inside. Cool wind from the air conditioning quickly hit my skin, and I felt the goosebumps break out over my exposed arms. I made my way, down the hall, every step ricocheting loudly as I walked. 

It took all of my effort to stay focused in class that day. 

* * *

_ “Something’s up.” Taehyung said, his voice as gentle as the cool wind that swept over the balcony. Though gentle, it wasn’t comforting; it was suspicious, concerned. If I could feel fear, maybe I would’ve been afraid.  _

_ “What do you mean?” I asked, gazing into the horizon, though I had a feeling I knew exactly what he meant.  _

_ “That girl. She knows something. I can feel it.” Taehyung said. He heaved a sigh.  _

_ “Jennie?” I asked.  _

_ “Jennie,” he confirmed. My blood was already ice in my veins, but I felt it freeze further, stopping its circulation throughout my entire body. I exhaled deeply. _

_ “What...what does she know?” I stuttered. I rarely stuttered, if I ever did. My question was met with a shrug from Taehyung.  _

_ “It’s just a feeling,” he answered. But I knew Taehyung well enough now, after spending decades by his side, that his feelings were never just feelings, that they reached far beyond his mind and into the world.  _

_ They reached far beyond my control. _

_ Oh, Jennie.  _

_ What have I gotten you into?  _

* * *

“I’d like to speak with you tonight,” Lisa said firmly. Her voice was more demanding than suggestive as she walked closely by my side.

“About...what?” I asked, sure that my voice betrayed both curiosity and annoyance. Lisa shrugged, clearly ignorant of my tone. 

“Just some things. School, the project…” she suggested. I shrugged back.

“Just talk to me now,” I said. Lisa shook her head, though- clearly not what she wanted to hear. 

“Well, I…” she began. “I wanted to...show you my apartment?” she said sheepishly. She hid her smile beneath her hands, and I wondered why her apartment was something I needed to see. But something inside me knew that I wouldn’t deny her, knew that she always got what she wanted. And she’d get what she wanted from me, too. Perhaps it was my own lack of friends that left me feeling that way, or perhaps something else that ran deeper through my veins. The same part of me that kept showing me the image of myself at Lisa’s feet in her tank top. 

“Fine, I’ll be there.” I said, and despite the reluctance in my voice, she smiled- and suddenly I knew I’d made the right choice. 

* * *

_ I could feel the rage flowing through Jennie’s blood, perhaps even better than she could.  _

_ I could feel her emotions, read her thoughts, and predict her actions.  _

_ She was thinking I was manipulating her, she was thinking I had some kind of power of persuasion over her. Perhaps, in a way, she was right. “Like a carnivorous flower, we are physically attractive to our prey.”  _

_ Not that Jennie was some sort of prey, no. But she fell victim to her own attraction, her actions still determined by her own whims, not mine. The attraction, she denied it, that I could feel. But surely, it was there- in her mind, I saw myself, and I saw her at my feet.  _

_ Would it become reality? Well, that’d be left up to her.  _

* * *

“Have you heard from Jisoo?” I asked. I tried to sound as casual as possible, leaning over the balcony, and exhaling deeply. The sun was long gone now, the only trace of it a sliver of light above the horizon. I’d watched it fall, Lisa had gotten what she wanted, as I predicted. And what she’d wanted was me, walking through her apartment and leaning over her balcony, talking about anything  _ but  _ the project. 

“Jisoo?” Lisa asked. She sounded just about as casual as I did. “No. Why do you ask?” 

I shrugged. Her answer sounded genuine, but a hint of suspicion still lingered at the back of my mind. I’d bid Rosé goodbye before I met Lisa outside of her apartment building, where she’d been waiting just as promised. I’d passed Taehyung reading quietly on the couch as Lisa brought me a mug of tea, the mug that was burning between my fingers now. 

“She hasn’t been in class for a while.” I commented. “Weirdly enough, we got an A on the project, even though I never turned it in.” I remembered after a brief moment before my mind slipped back to where it had been moments ago. Lisa didn’t stop talking, though, filling the balcony with her chirpy voice. 

_ Why am I here? _ I wondered.  _ Why did I agree to this? _

“Maybe Jisoo turned it in for you,” Lisa suggested. “Or maybe the professor excused you,” 

_ You’re wondering why you’re here. But you brought yourself here, Jennie.  _

I shrugged, turning away from the balcony and facing her. 

“That’s not what it sounded like,” I said. I sighed heavily, directing my attention to a chair made of twine in the corner of the balcony, and sat down. The chair squeaked underneath me as I did, and Lisa continued to stare at me. 

“You’re not...worried, are you?” she asked, her voice gentle. She sat down in the identical twine chair across from mine, and I avoided her gaze. 

_ You’re worried. You think I had something to do with it.  _

“I wasn’t, at first…” I said quietly. “But…” on its own, my voice raised in volume. “I don’t know.  _ Should  _ I be worried?” I asked finally. 

_ Why did I say that?  _ I thought, my heart beginning to pick up speed. 

Lisa stared at me for another moment, her mouth agape. The comment had definitely come out much more... _ accusatory _ than I intended. 

“You think I had something to do with this?” Lisa asked. I searched her face for some sort of guilt, some tell of a lie. But it gave none, betraying only utter disbelief. 

“Come to think of it, Rosé said that she hasn’t seen Namjoon around in the café, either.” I added. “When has Namjoon ever missed work?” Lisa scoffed, clearly appalled by my words. 

_ You think you know, but you don’t.  _

“Are you serious, Jennie?” she asked, her voice urgent. “They leave school, and you think I had something to do with it.” She inhaled sharply, looking away from me. “ _ Aish _ . I wonder what’s going on in that head of yours.” 

_ Except I know exactly what’s going on in that head of yours.  _

“I don’t think you did anything.” I admitted finally, leaning back in the chair and looking over the balcony once again. A wind blew in and chilled my skin. “I just...there’s something very...  _ strange  _ about you, Lisa.” I said finally. 

_ One of those is a lie.  _

Her lips quivered, as if she were holding back a smile. 

“Yeah? And what is that?” she asked curiously. 

“You…” I returned my gaze to her body. My heart beat at the sight of her oversized black hoodie that made her look ever so tiny. “You… I don’t know. I just think it’s suspicious how the two people you told me to keep away from are now...missing.” 

Lisa rolled her eyes. 

_ I’m not that stupid.  _

“Is that all?” she asked. 

“No,” I said. I bit my lip and looked away. 

“Then what?” she pressed on. He sleeved hands were wrapped curiously around her mug of tea, but I had yet to witness her take a sip. 

“I don’t know. You just haven’t...left my head. For some reason.” I explained. I left out the bit about the persuasive power she seemed to have over me. Across from me, Lisa grinned. Her mug of tea remained untouched, and she set it down on the edge of the balcony.

“That’s called attraction, unnie,” she said, her voice punctuated with a giggle. I felt my face flush. 

“N-no!” I insisted, my voice nearing a screech. “N-not like that! Girls…aren’t attracted to other girls.” 

Lisa sighed, shaking her head at my words. 

“I don’t like the way you think. Girls can be attracted to girls, just as men are attracted to other men. Why should gender be a limiting factor when it comes to love?” she said wistfully, looking away over the balcony. I watched the wind scatter her hair around her shoulders. 

“N-no.” I said, trying to keep my voice firm. She was  _ wrong _ . I didn’t… I  _ wasn’t _ …

_ But you did. And you are.  _

“Is that what this is, then? You feel...attraction towards me?” I asked gently. Though I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear the answer. Lisa didn’t look over at me. 

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have some sort of attraction to you, yes,” she explained. Her voice was so casual, so nonchalant, as if her words carried no weight at all. But they made my hands tremble, made my heart beat painfully hard in my chest. 

“Lisa, I…” I began, though I had no words. Images flashed through my mind without my permission. Images of Lisa, of us, of me kneeling down in front of her and her black risqué shirt. For a moment, I wondered what shirt she had on underneath her black hoodie. 

_ What have you done to me?  _ I wondered.

_ No, Jennie. It’s what you’ve done to me.  _

“I should go,” I said finally, a sigh leaving my lips. I stood up as the twine chair whined underneath me and turned towards the door leading back into her apartment. 

“Jennie, don’t,” Lisa said calmly. “Can we talk about this, please?” her voice was more annoyed than desperate. I didn’t like it- I just wanted her to respect my wishes.

...But what  _ were  _ my wishes, exactly?

“What’s there to talk about?” I asked. “You don’t know anything about Jisoo. That’s all I wanted.” Her admittance of attraction towards me was an afterthought now, something that lingered in the back of my mind that I’d worry about later. 

Lisa sighed carefully once again. 

“I do know some things about Jisoo.” she admitted finally, and her voice sounded genuine, but exhausted. “I don’t, however, know where she is now.”

“Tell me what you know,” I demanded. My request wasn’t taken seriously, though- it was met with a giggle. Rage began to build deep inside my stomach at her reaction. 

_ You’re pissing me off _ , I thought to myself. 

“Seriously,” I said. “You can’t...you can’t just demand that I stay away from Jisoo, and not tell me why.” 

No response. More giggling. More rage building in my blood. 

“For all I know, it’s because you have ulterior motives.” I said.  _ That  _ made the giggling cease, but she still didn’t answer. “You don’t want me around her, because you’re... _ jealous _ , or something.” I said finally. I knew I was provoking her, but I couldn’t stop myself. Anger and annoyance flowed through me like it was my own blood. She stood from her chair, but still didn’t look at me. 

_ You’re going to hit me.  _

“Jennie, listen. I know some things about Jisoo, but it’s not my place to tell them to you.” Lisa explained. She was leaning over the balcony now, looking into the distance. 

_ I could easily stop you, but you know I won’t.  _

“So then, how do I know you aren’t lying? Making this up?” I asked. “Look at me, dammit,” I added, not bothered hiding the annoyed tone my voice carried. She sighed again, granting me my wish as she turned to face me. But her lack of emotion only contributed further to the rage that boiled my blood. 

She took a step towards me, and I became wary- I had nowhere to go, save opening the door that was pressed against my back. 

“You don’t,” Lisa said. “But I’m not.” She took another step towards me. 

_ Back off _ , I thought. I wanted to say it aloud, but my lips wouldn’t form the words. 

“Don’t come any closer,” I warned instead, though my voice was far from threatening. Lisa only smirked, disregarding my request, and of course, taking another step in my direction. “Maybe it’s you I need to stay away from,” 

_ Go ahead. I know you want to.  _

_ Are you in my head?  _

“If you were smart, maybe you  _ would  _ stay away from me.” Lisa said. I couldn’t stand it anymore. My anger boiled over, and I had to slap that stupid smirk off her face. 

_ Shit _ . 

My hand came down across her cheek, a loud  _ smack  _ that ricocheted off the walls of the balcony. She flinched as I struck her, turning away. I flinched, too- pulling away quickly in disbelief after I realized what I’d done. 

_ Shit. Shit. Shit.  _

“I’m so sorry…” I said, but I wasn’t. I’d never hit anyone before, and the feeling was exhilarating- at least she wasn’t smirking or giggling anymore, as her hand rose up to her cheek.

“Jennie,” she said. Her voice was laced with anger. 

“You…” I began.  _ You were asking for it _ , I almost said, but I bit my tongue. She still wasn’t looking at me. Her hands were clutched around her face, one on her cheek, one on her nose. Suddenly, I felt guilt overwhelm me. “Let me see your face,” I said. I began to reach out to try and pry her hands away, but suddenly…

“No!” her voice was almost a screech as she pulled away. Her hands were tightly clasped around her nose now, and a sudden fear settled in the pit of my stomach. Had I hurt her? 

_ I should’ve stopped you.  _

“Lisa, I’m sorry,” I said. I tried to keep my voice gentle, though I knew she had no reason to trust me. Her body went limp as I approached, placing my hands over hers, drawing them away from her face. She let me, offering no resistance now. 

_ Now you’ll know what I am. What we are.  _

A dark liquid dripped from her nose. I felt my heart sink, my blood cold with guilt now that the adrenaline had worn off. It took my foggy brain a moment of staring at the dark liquid dripping from her nose, my hands laced in hers. As he blood dripped from her face and landed at her feet, I noticed something wasn’t right. It wasn’t the deep, crimson color it should’ve been against her pale skin.

It was blue. 

  
* * *


	7. Everything Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lisa lets Jennie into her world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all <3
> 
> Wanted to take a break from this fic. But it will be back. 
> 
> I just started a new job and a new university not too long ago, so sorry about the wait on this fic! Don't worry, I am not abandoning any of my fics!!
> 
> Regardless, hope you enjoy this chapter <3 thank you all for your patience <3

Lisa’s blood, or  _ whatever  _ it was, dripped onto the wood of the balcony floor. I could think of only one name. It repeated itself over and over again in my mind like a mantra.

_ Jimin _ . 

His palms against the concrete ground. Lisa’s nose dripping at my hands. 

_ What are you? _

“I…” I didn’t know where to begin. 

“ _ Well _ ,” said Lisa as she tilted back her head. Her voice was an unpleasant gurgle from the blood that ran down her throat. “Now you’ve done it.” 

_ What have I done? _

_ Now you know you were right.  _

_ Get out of my head.  _

“What are you?” I finally demanded it out loud, my hands trembling and my eyes fixated on a spot of dark blue that stained the once-perfect wood beneath my feet. I idly wondered if she’d get into trouble for that- this apartment was clearly rented. “First Jimin, and, and now…” my voice trailed off as it wavered, not really in fear, but utter, complete, confusion. I tried to gather my bearings, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t follow my own thoughts. 

It felt as though my world was crashing down- seeing this phenomenon that went against everything I knew. I was going  _ crazy-  _ slowly slipping away into insanity. But on the same token, a strange comfort grew in the back of my mind. I  _ wasn’t  _ crazy. I’d seen Jimin’s hands, and they were blue. 

Just like the wood of Lisa’s balcony was now, her nose beneath her hand. 

Lisa sighed deeply, an action that seemed too big for her small body. 

“I’m sorry, Jennie. You were never meant to get involved in this.” Lisa said. I bit my lip and looked away in guilt. I should’ve been the one apologizing- she could probably get me for assault, if she wanted to. And I probably deserved it. That was the least of my worries, though. I’d  _ hit  _ her, hard enough to make her bleed- this sweet, innocent girl who didn’t deserve it. Something strange had come over me, something  _ sinister _ .

I shivered, though, as a strange feeling coursed through my blood. It told me she meant it, the apology. But I didn’t understand what she was sorry for. 

_ I’m sorry, Jennie. So very sorry.  _

“Catch me up,” I stuttered, placing a hand to her nose in a pathetic attempt to rectify some of the damage I’d caused. I braced myself, ready to pull away in case she flinched or tensed up at my touch. But she didn’t. “I don’t understand, Lisa.”

“And I don’t think you ever will, unnie,” she said, taking my blood-stained hand into hers and pulling it away gently. I let myself be pushed away as I pushed her for an explanation. 

“Try me.” I almost felt insulted by her insinuation that I wouldn’t understand, but perhaps she was right. Maybe I wouldn’t. But that wouldn’t stop me from trying. 

Lisa stared at me, into my eyes, piercing through to my soul. It was uncomfortable, and I wanted to look away, but I didn’t. Perhaps after making her bleed, I owed her that much. 

“I’m not like you,” she said gently. Her nose ceased its gentle stream of blue- the remnants of it on her face slowly beginning to dry and flake away around the edges. She swiped her nose with her sleeve to brush it away, the contrast between the blue of her blood and the white of her skin disappearing in one gentle movement. 

_ Not like me how?  _

I let my arm fall back to my side, suddenly beginning to doubt myself about what I’d seen. As if I didn’t have blue on my hands as evidence. 

_ I’m not of this universe.  _

“So, like what, you’re an alien?” I asked. It was meant to be sarcastic, but the intent was lost with the realization that maybe I wasn’t so far off. 

Lisa only shrugged, stepping away from me.

“I guess,” she said it meekly. Her voice was so heavy with sadness that I felt my heart squeeze with hurt. I regretted the words immediately- perhaps I’d offended her. As if  _ that  _ even mattered, after I just punched her in the nose. 

“Sorry,” I said. The word fell from my lips instinctually, the next best thing I could do aside from reversing time and stopping myself from ever speaking. 

Maybe this was all some weird dream. Or maybe Lisa just had some kind of weird disease. 

“If I tell you, I don’t think you’ll believe me,” Lisa sniffled. “That, or you’ll be afraid of me,” 

“I think I’m already afraid of you,” I admitted, chewing the inside of my lip. It was true, and for several reasons. She had so much leverage over me- not to mention the fact that her blood was  _ blue _ , a terrifying thought on its own. 

Lisa chuckled at that, but her voice suddenly darkened. 

“Maybe you should be.” 

I didn’t know what she meant by that, but it sounded threatening. Looking away, I shivered- and I didn’t know if it was from the cold evening air. 

“I’m sorry, Jennie. Let’s get you inside.” another sigh racked her tiny frame as she closed her eyes. 

* * *

I stepped from her path as Lisa slid open the door to her apartment. The cold nighttime wind was replaced with the warm stillness of her living room. Lisa shrugged off her hoodie as we entered, and I stared- the bare skin of her arms, the gap between where her top ended and her jeans began. 

Taehyung still sat reading quietly, with an attractive and otherworldly aura about him. There was so much of him that was different than Lisa, but so much that was the same. At our entrance, he looked up from the book he was reading, and with one hand, snapped it shut. 

“Lisa,” he said flatly, failing to acknowledge my presence in the slightest. For some reason, my face burned red with humiliation- suddenly I didn’t exist, I wasn’t there. I turned away to slide shut the door behind me, and I heard him stand briskly.

“You’re bleeding,” came his voice again as he approached her. It wasn’t a question. 

“I’m not,” Lisa protested, as Taehyung slid his hand into hers. He leaned in closer to her, their faces mere inches apart as my heart pounded with fear and an odd jealousy. Taehyung was so close to her, and I didn’t know  _ who  _ I was more jealous of. 

“Don’t lie to me,” Taehyung said, his low voice nearing a whisper. His hand left hers to adjust the collar of his white button-down shirt. “I can smell the blood on you.”

I didn’t know how he could smell her blood. To me, she smelled like cinnamon. 

“I’m not bleeding... _ anymore _ ,” Lisa whispered, pushing Taehyung away and turning back towards me. Before she did, though, I caught his eyes- an angry glare that burned a hole in my mind. 

“Don’t,” I heard Lisa warn. I stepped back instinctively, as though I could somehow escape Taehyung’s smoldering gaze. But of course, I couldn’t. 

_ He knows that you know. _

_ What?  _

“So,” Taehyung said flatly. His voice was pleasant sounding, but it made me shiver. I heard the crackle of the fireplace by my side.  _ Huh _ , I thought. _ I hadn’t noticed Lisa’s apartment had a fireplace. _

Taehyung licked his lips as he sidestepped away from Lisa, approaching me slowly. The action was quite attractive on him,  _ seductive _ , even, and it made my heart beat quickly with desire. 

...Even though I was probably in danger. 

“I guess you’ve brought us a little snack, then,” Taehyung continued, his lips curling into a smile. I felt like I was dazed. Lost in his eyes. His hungry stare that grew closer and closer. I smiled.

_ Wait. What?  _

“Taehyung,  _ no _ ,” Lisa urged, her voice bordering on a yell as she shoved him away from me protectively. Taehyung’s lovely expression was broken as he let himself be pushed away, stumbling back in a way that was- ironically- graceful.

His hold on me was broken as well- I snapped out of my trance, blinking hard. 

Taehyung chuckled darkly as I watched the exchange. 

“You’re an idiot, Lisa,” he spat in his even voice. “A damn idiot.” 

He turned on his heel and stomped away- disappearing through a doorway that sat next to the fireplace. An uncomfortable stillness settled in his absence, but my head raced with a million questions. 

“Is he...going to be okay?” was the first one that left my lips. Lisa rolled her eyes. 

“He’ll be fine,” she said. She swiped her sleeve over her nose, making me look away in guilt. “Sorry.” 

“So…” I chewed my lower lip nervously and noticed I’d been picking away at the skin of my fingers. If I continued, they’d surely bleed. “You guys… eat people, huh?” I asked.  _ That  _ came out much too nonchalant, but I couldn’t be surprised by anything anymore. 

Lisa rolled her eyes again. Taehyung had clearly put her in a bad mood, I realized with an uncomfortable shiver. 

“No, we don’t.” She said it firmly. “At least, we  _ haven’t _ . Not for a couple hundred years,” she explained. 

I blinked hard again. Stunned. 

“Oh,” I said flatly. “So...how old are you?” 

I gulped, wondering if I wanted to hear the answer. 

Despite her annoyance, I could’ve sworn I saw Lisa’s eyes twinkle at the question. 

“Old.” 

* * *

I sighed. Staring at my reflection in the dirty bathroom mirror, but not really seeing it. Not recognizing it as my own. I wondered if I even existed, I felt so insignificant and small. 

This was going to take some processing. 

I shuddered as I wondered if Lisa could see her own reflection. 

Perhaps that was just a myth?

I toyed with the thought of asking her, and it made me chuckle. I knew I’d probably never find the nerve to ask her such a question. There had to be some kind of etiquette within her tribe, some unspoken rules that came to be over the millions of eons that they’d probably been in existence. The vastness of her universe made me shiver.  _ Stop thinking about it _ , I told myself. But I couldn’t stop. I felt small- a tiny animal in the void of outer space, a mere passerby in the ephemeral fabric of time. 

_ Yes, I can see it.  _

At the sound, I pulled my eyes from the mirror. It wasn’t really a sound anymore- more like a feeling, a thought from my own head. But it  _ wasn’t  _ from my own head. That much, I’d figured out on my own. 

It sure did feel that way, though. 

_ Your reflection?  _

_ That  _ one was from my own head. 

_ Yes.  _

I wondered how deeply Lisa could see into my mind as I idly tugged a stray thread on my pajamas. 

“Are you okay? You look pale, or something,” came a voice. This one was actually a  _ real  _ voice, I realized with relief. Rosé.

“I’m fine,” I said meekly. 

_ That wasn’t convincing at all.  _

“I made these, have one,” she said, approaching me where I’d sat down on our shared couch. She handed me a pastry- vanilla cake frosted with blue icing. 

“ _ Kamsa _ ,” I said, taking it gingerly in both hands. It looked delicate. It looked like how I felt. 

As I chewed, I thought about how I’d never really paid much mind to the color of things. But now, the color blue followed me everywhere. I saw it in cars, on the clothing of pedestrians, on Rosé’s toenails. In a way, it was kind of nice. I had a new appreciation for the color. 

“Like it?” Rosé asked sweetly, averting her gaze to an open textbook on the table as she sat down beside me. 

“Of course,” I said around a full mouth. As I stared at her, I hoped that she’d be the one thing that would never change. The one thing consistent in my life as the rest of my world crumbled around me. 

Lisa had told me I couldn’t know too much. Or else, I’d be in danger. Ignoring the feeling that I was probably  _ already  _ in danger, I was confident that the curiosity would kill me before anything else ever could. 

I just hope it makes it quick. 

  
* * *

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks everyone for reading!
> 
> Kudos, comments, and bookmarks are all appreciated, as well as taking a look at some of my other work on my page. I have my next chapter of this in progress, as well as the next chapter of my BTS fic, Bias Wrecked. Both should be posted soon. 
> 
> Anyway, I know the world is bleak right now, and I hope you all are staying well. Writing and reading are both useful escapes for me, and I hope I can make at least one person's day with my writing. I appreciate all the love I've gotten on my work so far, and I hope you all continue to enjoy it! <3


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